Clamping connection for curtains and the like

ABSTRACT

For adjusting the length of a finished curtain or the like to the height of a window, door etc. of less height than the length of the curtain a clamping connection is provided for holding a transverse fold of required width made in the upper portion of the curtain and adjusting the curtain to the desired height. The clamping connection comprises a number of clamping devices attached in transversely spaced relation along the upper marginal portion of the curtain, the clamping devices having coacting clamping members adapted to engage and lock therebetween the fold of the curtain to hold the curtain in the required position.

United States Patent Riiben Mar. 7, 1972 l i [54] CLAMPING CONNECTION FOR CURTAINS AND THE LIKE [72] Inventor: Lucas Wilhelmus Riiben, Uithoorn,

Netherlands [73] Assignee: Elka Trust Reg., Vaduz, Liechtenstein [22] Filed: May 14, 1970 211 App]. No.: 37,115

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 16, 1969 Switzerland ..7520/69 Sept. 11, 1969 Switzerland ..l37l9/69 521 Us. Cl ..24/13 on [51] Int. Cl. ..A44b 21/00 [58] Field of Search ..2/235, 236, 217; 16/872; 24/71 SD, 73 CH, 208 A, 245 PF, 245 F, 245

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,300,342 10/1942 Cheney.... ..24/245 2,472,350 6/1949 Taylor ..2/335 X 3,177,550 4/1965 Borgeson ..24/245 FF FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 12,612 1904 Great Britain ..2/2l7 101,364 6/1937 Australia ..2/336 599,032 5/1960 Canada ....24/208 A 91,322 3/1958 Norway ..24/73 CH Primary Examiner-Donald A. Griffin Attorney-Karl W. Flocks [57] ABSTRACT For adjusting the length of a finished curtain or the like to the height of a window, door etc. of less height than the length of the curtain a clamping connection is provided for holding a transverse fold of required width made in the upper portion of the curtain and adjusting the curtain to the desired height. The clamping connection comprises a number of clamping devices attached in transversely spaced relation along the upper marginal portion of the curtain, the clamping devices having coacting clamping members adapted to engage and lock therebetween the fold of the curtain to hold the curtain in the required position.

I 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDMAR 719?? 3,646,641

sum 1 or 2 INVENTOR.

PATENTEDHAR 7 m2 SHE ET 2 [IF 2 CLAMPING CONNECTION FOR CURTAINS AND THE LIKE The present invention relates to a clamping connection on curtains and the like.

The clamping connection according to the invention comprises a number of spaced clamping members fixed to the curtain in a transversely extending row, said clamping members each having a pair of clamping sections arranged to engage a transverse fold of the curtain and to hold it in a predetermined position.

The invention will be described by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating two embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a portion of a curtain provided with mounting supports fixed to the upper edge of the curtain and with a clamping member introduced into one of the mounting supports, said clamping members and mounting supports forming together a part of a clamping connection according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a section along the line 22 in FIG. 1, the clamping member being represented in open position and the transverse fold of the curtain to be suspended by the clamping member being situated outside of the clamping member;

FIG. 3 is a section similar to that of FIG. 2 the transverse fold to be suspended being clamped between the ends of the closed clamping member,

FIG. 4 is a view of a part of a curtain with clamping members fixed thereto according to the second embodiment of the invention, some of the clamping members being represented in closed position maintaining a portion of a transverse fold, while a further clamping member is shown in open position, and

FIG. 5 is a section along the line VV in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 1 and 2 represent a portion of a curtain l to the upper edge of which a seam band 2 is sewn. To the seam band 2 a further band 3 is superposed whose width is smaller than that of the seam band, and is fixed to the seam band by spaced cross seams 3a. In this manner the band 3, together with the lower portion of the seam band 2, forms a number of individual, loop-shaped sections 4. A clamp 5 having approximately U-shape is inserted into certain predetermined loop sections 4, in such manner that one of their legs passes through the loop section, the free leg ends being directed away from the upper edge of the curtain (FIG. 2). The clamps 5 consist preferably of plastics, but they can be produced from any other suitable material.

As is visible from FIG. 2, the free end section of one leg 6 of the clamp 5 is provided with an inwardly opening recess 8, while the free end section of the other leg 7 comprises an inwardly directed projection 9 which is formed to engage into the recess 8 and to form a lock together with the latter. This lock is provided for clamping a folded portion 10 of the curtain 1 and for holding it in a predetermined position with respect to the upper edge of the curtain.

FIG. 3 shows how the mentioned folded portion 10 of the curtain 1 is locked in the closed clamp 5, the material of the curtain fold 10 being pressed into the recess 8 by the projection 9 and thereby the fold is maintained in suspended position.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show another form of execution of the clamping connection according to the invention.

In FIG. 4 a portion of a curtain 11 is represented, to the upper edge of which a seam band 12 is sewn. The seam band 12 is provided with mounting supports 13 for the suspension members (not shown) of the curtain 11. The upper edge of a double band consisting of two parallel superposed parts 14, 15, is sewn to the lower edge of the seam band 12. The double band 14, 15 extends transversely across the curtain and is open at its lower end. It may consist of two separate bands which are connected to each other along their upper edges, or of a single folded band. A number of clamping members 16, spaced from each other in a transverse row, are disposed on the inner sides of the double band. The clamping members 16 are formed as press buttons, one part of each press-button being arranged on the band portion 14, while the other part 16b of each press-button is situated on the band portion 15. The interengaging sections of the press-buttons are so formed that in the closed position thereof the projecting section 18 of the press-button part 16b presses the transverse fold 19 of the curtain 11 into the opening 17 of the press-button part 64 and holds it in this position without hereby damaging the material of the curtain (FIG. 5).

By means of the described clamping connection, it is possible to adapt finished curtains having a definite length to windows or the like, the height of which is smaller than the length of the curtain, without having to execute expensive sewing work. In order to shorten the curtain, it is possible to simply form a fold at the upper portion thereof in the manner represented in FIGS. 2 and 3, or 4 and 5, which fold is maintained by means of the clamps on the seam band fixed to the upper edge of the curtain. This manner of attacking can also be used for forming decorative folds on curtains.

Obviously, also other forms of the clamping connection according to the invention are possible. For example, in the clamping connection represented in FIGS. 1-3 the clamp can also consist of any suitable material other than plastics. Instead of the lock formed by the recess and by the projection, it can comprise another kind of lock, e.g., a needle or a point formed at the end of the leg, instead of the projection, said needle or point, when the clamp is closed, is pierced through an opening replacing the recess. Also the shape of the clamp can be otherwise.

In the clamping connection represented in FIGS. 4 and 5, there can be provided, e.g., only one transverse band which carries on its inside, i.e., on the side facing the curtain, the one clamping section of each clamping member, while the other clamping section thereof can be fixed to the curtain itself. Also, the clamping members could be so arranged that they comprise two resilient clamping fingers applied against each other, at least one of the clamping fingers being arranged on a transverse band fixed to the curtain.

I claim:

1. A clamping connection for curtains and the like, comprising a number of spaced clamping members fixed to the curtain in a transversely extending row, said clamping members each having a pair of coacting clamping sections arranged to engage a transverse fold of the curtain and to hold it in any desired position.

2. A clamping connection for curtains and the like, comprising a number of spaced clamping members fixed to the curtain in a transversely extending row, said clamping members each having a pair of coacting clamping sections arranged to engage a transverse fold of the curtain and to hold it in a predetermined position, said curtain including a transverse row of loop-shaped mounting supports for fixing said clamping members to the curtain.

3. A clamping connection according to claim 2, in which a band is provided along the upper edge of the curtain and extends parallel along the length of said edge, said band being connected at predetermined spaced intervals with the curtain.

4. A clamping connection according to claim 2, in which the clamping members each consist of a substantially U-shaped clamp having two legs provided with coacting locking means on the ends thereof, one leg of each clamp passing through one of said loop-shaped mounting supports for attachment of the clamp to the curtain, said locking means on the ends of said legs being engageable with one another to hold said transverse fold of the curtain when introduced between said coacting locking means on the legs of the clamp.

5. A clamping connection according to claim 4, in which said locking means comprise a recess formed at the end portion of one of said legs of the clamp and a projection at the end portion of the other leg of the clamp, the recess and projection being so dimensioned that upon engagement of the projection in the recess with the fold of the curtain inserted recess and clamped therein by the projection.

6. A clamping connection according to claim 4, in which said legs of the U-shaped clamp are resilient.

7. A clamping connection for curtains and the like, comprising a number of spaced clamping members fixed to the curtain in a transversely extending row, said clamping members each having a pair of coacting clamping sections arranged to engage a transverse fold of the curtain and to hold it in a predetermined position, and with said transversely extending row of spaced clamping members being fixed to a transverse band attached to the upper portion of the curtain.

8. A clamping connection according to claim 7, in which each clamping member comprises two distinct parts, each part 10. A clamping connection according to claim 8, in which I said two coacting parts of each clamping member are fixed each to the facing inner sides of a folded band extending transversely of the curtain along the upper portion thereof.

i i I I t 

1. A clamping connection for curtains and the like, comprising a number of spaced clamping members fixed to the curtain in a transversely extending row, said clamping members each having a pair of coacting clamping sections arranged to engage a transverse fold of the curtain and to hold it in any desired position.
 2. A clamping connection for curtains and the like, comprising a number of spaced clamping members fixed to the curtain in a transversely extending row, said clamping members each having a pair of coacting clamping sections arrangEd to engage a transverse fold of the curtain and to hold it in a predetermined position, said curtain including a transverse row of loop-shaped mounting supports for fixing said clamping members to the curtain.
 3. A clamping connection according to claim 2, in which a band is provided along the upper edge of the curtain and extends parallel along the length of said edge, said band being connected at predetermined spaced intervals with the curtain.
 4. A clamping connection according to claim 2, in which the clamping members each consist of a substantially U-shaped clamp having two legs provided with coacting locking means on the ends thereof, one leg of each clamp passing through one of said loop-shaped mounting supports for attachment of the clamp to the curtain, said locking means on the ends of said legs being engageable with one another to hold said transverse fold of the curtain when introduced between said coacting locking means on the legs of the clamp.
 5. A clamping connection according to claim 4, in which said locking means comprise a recess formed at the end portion of one of said legs of the clamp and a projection at the end portion of the other leg of the clamp, the recess and projection being so dimensioned that upon engagement of the projection in the recess with the fold of the curtain inserted therebetween, the material of the fold is introduced into the recess and clamped therein by the projection.
 6. A clamping connection according to claim 4, in which said legs of the U-shaped clamp are resilient.
 7. A clamping connection for curtains and the like, comprising a number of spaced clamping members fixed to the curtain in a transversely extending row, said clamping members each having a pair of coacting clamping sections arranged to engage a transverse fold of the curtain and to hold it in a predetermined position, and with said transversely extending row of spaced clamping members being fixed to a transverse band attached to the upper portion of the curtain.
 8. A clamping connection according to claim 7, in which each clamping member comprises two distinct parts, each part including one of said coacting clamping sections.
 9. A clamping section according to claim 8, in which said two coacting parts of each clamping member are fixed each to a band extending transversely of the curtain along the upper portion thereof, the coacting clamping sections facing each other.
 10. A clamping connection according to claim 8, in which said two coacting parts of each clamping member are fixed each to the facing inner sides of a folded band extending transversely of the curtain along the upper portion thereof. 